Powell open to legislative changes to bolster Cape York turtle plan

Queensland Environment Minister Andrew Powell says he is happy to consider legislative changes to help Cape York Indigenous people manage turtles and dugongs.

A new management plan with input from about 30 clans was launched on the weekend.

It outlines strategies including setting quotas and creating exclusion zones for traditional hunting, and calls for changes such as giving Indigenous rangers more power to enforce the measures.

Mr Powell says the State Government will do what it can to empower local communities.

"The Newman Government's already made a number of legislative amendments to a number of acts - Animal Welfare Act and the Nature Conservation Act are proposed, which do strengthen the protection for turtles and dugongs," he said.

"We're happy to have a look at this plan and the proposed legislative reforms and come back to the communities in due course.

"It's an exciting step in the management of turtles and dugongs on the Cape.

"It's consistent with what our aspirations were as a government 0 that is that local communities determine their own management practice around things like closures and quotas and licences and permits, which is exactly what we were looking for."